Head traction device



NOV. 10, 1953 w E, HASKELL 2,658,506

HEAD TRACTION DEVICE Filed DEC. 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ML LIA ME. HAS/HELL ATTORNEYS NOV. 10, 1953 w E, HASKELL 2,658,506

HEAD TRACTION DEVICE Filed Dec. 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR MLLIAME.HA6'KELL ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEAD TRACTION DEVICE William E. Haskell, Springfield, Mass.

Application December 17, 1951, Serial No. 262,018

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for exerting traction on a person's head to relieve pressure of the head on neck and other muscles or on the spine for therapeutic or other purposes.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device for exerting traction on the head while holding the same in a desirable position for relieving muscular tensions and strains.

Another object of the invention is to provide a head traction device which is readily operable by the user for positioning the head as may be desired for the utmost benefit and which will maintain a substantial degree of traction while permitting movement of the users head within relatively wide limits.

A further object of the invention is to provide a light, portable and easily assembled head traction device permitting easy adjustment of the forces of traction while in use and enabling the user to Withstand a substantial pull in comparative comfort.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a head traction device in which traction can be adjusted to any desired degree and which will exert traction with a steady pull from various angles.

Still another obiect is to provide a device which may be given to patients for their own use and operation and which will assure that no ill effects will result from a patients self treatment.

Other objects, advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the device as supporting the head of a person as in sitting po sition;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the head spacer arrangement of the form of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of an embodiment of the invention for a persons head when in reclining position;

Fig. 5 is an elevation from the front of the apparatus shown in use by Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the collar element shown by Fig. 2.

The apparatus of this invention as shown by the drawings is designed to support a persons head either in sitting or reclining positions for the users greatest comfort although it will be apparent that the device could also be utilized for a standing position if desired.

It has been found by applicant that prior art Iii) devices designed for the purpose of lifting the weight of the head from support by the spine and neck muscles of the user are generally subject to objection because the head may be held too securely in one position or may be held in such a way as to prevent a substantial pull Without extreme discomfort. The user lacks freedom to turn or move his head even slightly without discomfort or loss of traction. Prior devices have also been found wanting in failing to give the user the relaxation needed to maintain traction for a sufficient length of time and in frequently causing another type of painful discomfort while making the eifort to relieve the pain of a malpositioning of the spine or neck and shoulder muscles. A common type of discomfort, for example, found in using many prior devices for completely supporting the weight of the head has been the tendency to provide support for the lower jawbone but in such a way as to partially force it rearwardly into its socket. Discomfort is thus experienced and the user becoming tense in one part of his body translates the tenseness to other parts and loses much of the beneficial result which should be obtained from relaxation of the supporting structure for the head. It has been found that the degree of comfort achieved bears a direct relation to the amount of benefit derived from the use of such devices and that where a severe traction pull is needed to relieve malpositioning or distortions of the muscles or spine, the patient must be maintained comfortably in the device for an appreciable length of time for good results from the treatment. If distress is experienced before affected portions of the body are relieved then the device has failed to fully achieve the desired objective.

The apparatus of the present invention enables complete support of the head at any desirable angle with relation to the spine and enables the user himself to operate the device according to his needs and desires and to make any adjustments of angularity and weight of pull as may contribute to his comfort while undergoing treatment.

Referring to the drawings a portable stand frame (Fig. 1) is shown with a vertical support having a telescopic upper section 2 provided with a horizontally disposed arm 3 at the top thereof. Support i is in the form of a tube threaded into the vertical socket of a union 4 provided with lower oppositely directed horizontal sockets into which are threaded tubes 5 for a supporting base.

The stand is preferably portable and of light weight construction and the entire apparatus may be easily disassembled for carriage in a suitcase by the user to his home for temporary usage. Upper section 2 is held in elevated position as shown by a pin 6 resting on the top of tube I in one of a series of aligned openings as indicated at l, the upper section being removable from tube I.

Arm 3 is threaded into an elbow 8 on the top of section 2 and may be readily removed. Arm 3 carries a head traction device assembly especially suitable for a sitting position, as will be described, by an overhead clamp support 9 which is slidable on arm 3 and may be removed therefrom by sliding over the inner end when the latter is removed from the elbow 8.

Support I also carries a head traction device assembly (for a prone position) slidably mounted on support I by a clamp support held in the vertical position desired by an adjustable collar ll. Collar H is also slidable on support I and held by a set screw l2. Clamp support [0 may be removed by sliding over the top of support I when upper section 2 is removed.

The stand frame may thus be readily adapted for temporary usage with the head traction assemblies for treatment in the home or elsewhere and returned to a physician or hospital when it has served its purpose. the user need not be skilled in the application of such traction devices in order to manipulate the apparatus to gain its benefits.

The form of head traction assembly supported on arm 3 by slidable clamp 9 is shown for support will then be fitted to the users head and traction applied as will be described.

In Fig. 2 the head or skull support is in the form of a collar IS the two sides of which are separable at the front thereof to provide access for the users neck (see Fig. 6). The two side halves of the collar are pivotally joined at the rear as by an ordinary hinge formation (not shown) or the construction of the same may be resilient so as to permit spreading of the two halves as shown in dotted line position of Fig. 6. Any means conveniently joining the front ends as a pivoted hook fastener [6 may be provided for a releasable connection. The collar sides may be formed with a rigid core or base and overlaid or built up with resilient padding as foam rubber to provide a cushion for contact with the users head.

Each half of the collar provides a horizontally disposed means for bracing each side of the users head at the underside or edge of the lower jaw. As in Fig. 2 each side of the collar supports the adjacent lower jaw portion and extends around to the rear of the skull. At the forward and rearward portions of each side are fastened supporting plates l1 fixed as at I8 to the collar and provided at the top thereof with a series of openings l9. Openings l9 are horizontally disposed to receive hooks at the ends of front and rear side frame hangers as link chains 2| and 22. The front chains 2| are provided with turnbuckles as at 23 as will be explained. Chains 2| and 22 on each side of the frame are hooked at the top to hooks 24 held by a swivel connection at 25 at each end of a head spacer bar 26.

The spacer bar is adapted to extend laterally As will be later apparent 4 at each side of the users head and to bring the apex of the triangle thus formed by each pair of side frame hanger chains centrally of the users head at the sides thereof.

The spacer bar is centrally suspended having a hook ring 21 swivelled at 28 to the bar. A hanger support chain 29 is linked with ring 21 at the lower end of the chain and at the top of the chain is carried by a depending hook 30 adjustably mounted in one of a series of notches 3| of an elongated opening 32 at one end of a lever 33 fulcrumed on clamp support 9.

Lever 33 is of the first order with its other end also provided with a series of notches 34 in an elongated opening 35. In one of these notches a. weight 36 is hooked to provide the force for exerting a lift on the harness device of Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be seen that the weight 36 may be adjusted with respect to its distance from the lever fulcrum at 31 and that the harness hanger chain 29 may also be placed at various distances from the fulcrum. Thus the user has a choice within wide limits of the force which is to be applied to lift his head. It will also be realized the positions of the weight and the harness hook *3 are within control at all times while the head is suspended inasmuch as both are within easy reach of the users arms. Accordingly, whenever desired the user can regulate the force of traction pull and apply as little or as much as he feels will be of most benefit.

With the users ability to change the distance of the harness hanger hook from the fulcrum it will also be seen that the direction of traction pull may be varied slightly by this means alone if this is desirable. As will be appreciated the principal means for manipulating the direction of traction pull will be obtained by the turnbuckles 23 and the adjustments provided by the series of openings [9 in the plates IT for placement of the lower ends of the chains 2| and 22. The changes in positioning possible by the various adjustments of these elements permits a great variety of choices available to a user seeking comfort while undergoing beneficial treatment. The value of a device of this character is in many ways proportioned to the degree of comfort and relaxation achieved by the user while attempting correction of a mal-positioning of the muscles or pine. Not only does the construction enable the user himself to manipulate the various parts of the device to suit his needs, but the assembly of the head spacer and swivelled connections enables a person to move his head in the harness to turn sideways without loss of traction.

The traction assembly with the collar l5 may be used in a reclining position as will be later pointed out. However, there is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 a frame in the form of a sling especially adapted for a user when in reclining position. As here shown in Fig. f the user is lying on a floor surface. The support may however be positioned at the headof a bed or cot and the collar ll set at a vertical level for the clamp support It] to be located over the head of the user.

Lever M (Fig. 4) is of the first order and of an angular bell crank type with the upper end carrying a weight M hooked over it in one of a series of notches 42 spaced along said end. The other end of the lever is provided with a series of spaced openings 43 in one of which is positioned a hanger support hook M. The hooked lower end 55 of the hanger suspends a head spacer bar 46 by a centrally disposed loop 41 (see Fig. 5) of the bar.

The head spacer is also provided with open ended loops 48 or hooks at each end on which is received rings 49 supporting side frame hangers. In this form of the device the hangers constitute a harness for the head as shown by Fig. 4. The two rear hangers 50 and 5| and the two front hangers 52 and 53 are in the form of flexible cloth straps for each side of the users head. As clearly shown by Fig. 5 the two sides of the front and rear straps are integrally connected at their lower portions and form front and rear slings. Embracing each side of the lower jaw as in Fig. 4 are cloth straps 54 fixed to the lower portions of the rear straps and connected to the lower portions of the front straps by the adjustable buckles 55.

When in reclining position the weight of the head is partially supported on a head rest 56 or other surface and the force of traction required to align the head with respect to the spine or relieve muscular strains or deformation is accordngly less than that required when the user is in a sitting position. Also since the rear of the skull is partially supported a comparatively greater directional pull is required for the fore part of the head. The front hanger straps are thus directly fixed to the rings 49 and the rear straps fixed as by stitching to the upper portions of the straps 52 and 53. When the harness is exerting traction the head is thus cradled to take advantage of the support afforded by the head resting on a horizontally disposed support. It will be noted that in this form of the device the position of the head rest and the height thereof from the horizontal supporting surface of the body can be varied to suit the user's circumstances and needs, and the utmost in relaxation and comfort achieved. The user can roll the head to either side by the provision for pivotal movement of the head spacer while continuing to maintain the forces of traction.

It should be noted that while the form of device shown by Figs 4 and 5 is particularly designed for exerting traction on the head of a user in prone position, the collar l5 and chain link arrangement of Figs. 1-3 can be used as well, the chain 29 being linked to the hook 45 of the angular lever 40. Thus, a rigid bracing means as in Fig. 2 lies at each side of the head and the head may be partially supported on any suitable rest as for example a soft bed pillow. Various adjustments may then be made in the linkage to exert the desired amount of traction pull and at a suitable angle.

What is claimed is:

1. Therapeutic apparatus for supporting the weight of a persons head comprising a rear support and a. forwardly extending support attached thereto, a lever of the first order extending longitudinally of the latter support with the fulcrum of said lever mounted thereon, a shiftable weight carried on the forward end of the lever and a head engaging traction frame suspended on the rear end of the lever and including shiftable hanger means carried by said rear lever end for moving said frame toward and away from said fulcrum, said lever with its forward and rearward ends being within reach of a user's arms when his head is engaged by said frame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said shiftable hanger means includes a head spacer bar having a pair of depending frame brace straps supported at each end thereof for connection to said traction frame at front and rear sections thereof and a link strap extending between said bar and rear end of the lever with said link strap including a swivel connection for turning movement of said spacer bar in a plane at right angles to said link strap.

3. Therapeutic apparatus for supporting the weight of a persons head comprising a rear support and a forwardly extending support attached thereto with a lever of the first order having its fulcrum mounted on the latter support and provided with a bracket slidable longitudinally thereof, a shiftable weight on the forward end of the lever and longitudinally spaced means for receiving said weight, a head engaging traction frame having hanger means suspending the frame from the rear end of the lever and spaced means on said lever end arranged longitudinally thereof for receiving said hanger means at various distances from said fulcrum, said hanger means including a swiveled connection between said frame and lever, and said head frame including a horizontal collar brace adapted to lie along the underside of a persons jaw and extend under the rear of the skull with a head spacer bar in upper spaced relation thereto having frame brace straps connected between the ends of said bar and the corresponding forward and rearward sections at the sides of said brace, said straps being adjustable in length, said collar brace, said lever, and said slidable bracket on the forward support being in relatively closely spaced relation and within reach of a users arms when his head is supported by said brace.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said rear support is vertically adjustable and said forwardly extending support is rotatably mounted with respect to said rear support.

WILLIAM E'. HASKELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 445,658 Bushong Feb. 3, 1891 1,479,536 Ferragamo Jan. 1, 1924 2,475,905 Lowry July 12, 1949 OTHER REFERENCES Catalog of the Kny-Scheerer Corp., New York city, for 1921, p. 1065. Copy in Div. 55. 

